Category Archives: Cookies

YIN YANG COOKIES

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We found this awesome dragon mask years ago at an antique show.  It watches over us.  It also begs the question “why”?

The Lunar New Year is this weekend, and it’s the Year of the Dragon.  Years of the Dragon include 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952.  The dragon is an auspicious creature in Chinese culture, and symbolizes power, honor, luck, and success.  People born in Dragon years are said to possess “natural courage, tenacity, and intelligence.”  I’m skeptical.

Inspired by the dragon mask, a fun way to celebrate the Lunar New Year is with these easy Yin Yang cookies, especially if you’re feeling courageous, tenacious, and intelligent this Year of the Dragon.  Yin-yang, according to dictionary.com, “refers to a concept originating in ancient Chinese philosophy where opposite forces are seen as interconnected and counterbalancing,” and “is commonly represented by the yin-yang symbol, a circle made up of black and white swirls, each containing a spot of the other.”

wikipedia

The recipe begins with a package of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie cookie mix:

Prepare the dough, add cocoa powder to half, then have fun shaping the cookies.  Use large chips, if possible, for the best looking results.  Practice your lion dance while the cookies are baking.

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YIN YANG COOKIES
Author: 
Serves: 2 dozen
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie cookie mix
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 24 semi-chocolate chips
  • 24 white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place cookie mix in a medium bowl. Stir in butter and egg until a soft dough forms. Place half of dough in a separate medium bowl and add cocoa and milk, mixing until thoroughly combined.
  3. To form cookies, form a 1-inch ball from plain dough. Form a second 1-inch ball from chocolate dough. Shape each into a comma shape, and nestle the two doughs together on an ungreased cookie sheet, with the tails pointing in opposite directions. Space cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Place one white chocolate chip in the center of the rounded part of the chocolate dough, and one semi-sweet chocolate chip in the center of the rounded part of the plain dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until set and beginning to brown at edges. Cool briefly on sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Can you feel the opposite forces?

Which do you prefer — yin or yang?

BEST OF SHOW LEMON COOKIES

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2023 got off to a sad start, with my neighbor Wesley passing away on January 1.  His battle with mesothelioma — a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos — was short but noble.


One of the interesting things about Wesley — and there are many — is that for more than 30 years he competed at the State Fair of Texas in various Creative Arts categories.  He amassed an impressive collection of ribbons for his baked goods and other creations, including three Best of Show for his legendary cobblers.

 

I will always remember how on the day he started chemotherapy he showed up on my doorstep at 8 a.m. with a cake that he’d been practicing for the 2022 State Fair — a delicious carrot cake.  It was a sweet and unexpected gesture of thanks for some meals I’d brought to his family.  He went to the State Fair that weekend and won more ribbons for his collection, and went the next weekend with his son Calvin who won several  ribbons in the junior division, including a best of show for that carrot cake reimagined as muffins.

After he passed, I called his wife to offer some ways in which I might help with his funeral.  She took me up on my offer to bake a favorite cookie of Wesley’s to share with friends at their house after the funeral, and sent me his prize-winning recipe for Lemon Cookies.  She wasn’t sure whether the cookies won first place or Best of Show, but everyone agreed they should be Best of Show, and I’m going with that.

I followed the recipe exactly, and they came out perfect.  I think Wesley would have been pleased.

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BEST OF SHOW LEMON COOKIES
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup varied colored sugars (I used a mix of yellow and white)
  • For the icing:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon peel. Combine flour and cornstarch in separate bowl and gradually add to creamed mixture until it is mixed well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Shape into 1-3/4 inch diameter roll on parchment paper and roll in colored sugars. Refrigerate 2-3 hours until firm. Unwrap and cut into ¼ inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees 9-11 minutes, or until edges are slightly brown. Cool 3 minutes then remove to wire rack to completely cool.
  3. In a small bowl, combine icing ingredients. Spread over cookies.
  4. Yield: 28 cookies

Chilled log rolled in colored sugar

Sliced and ready to bake

Voila!  Delicious, tender lemon cookies